


Birthday cake

by absolutebeginner



Category: Natsume Yuujinchou | Natsume's Book of Friends
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-23
Updated: 2020-03-23
Packaged: 2021-02-28 18:21:38
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,818
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23281678
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/absolutebeginner/pseuds/absolutebeginner
Summary: Tanuma and his father baked a cake
Kudos: 14





	Birthday cake

**Author's Note:**

> I've wanted to write something for Tanuma's birthday for a long time. It is not near the right date but since I have now the time to do it (and probably will go nuts if I don't do something) I'm writing it. It is not super happy because I don't feel super great right now. I wanted it to be more hopeful and cute, but there you go. Maybe for his actual birthday I write something better. Enjoy and be safe out there. Stay in your homes if you can!

Nyanko-sensei appeared in the school yard just before lunch period and Natsume jumped out of his chair in reaction as soon as he saw the cat out of his classroom window. It wasn’t a normal occurrence that Sensei came all the way to the school unless it was an emergency. A second too late Natsume realized he was still in class, the teacher scolding him for the sudden movement that had disrupted the flow of the class. Natsume embarrased apologized, but he couldn’t stay still until he bell rang announcing the end of the period. He all but ran out of the class shouting a half-assed excuse about going to the bathroom to a wide-eyed Nishimura.

In the end Nyanko-sensei just wanted to report that the medium-class youkai had teamed up with Hinoe and had hidden all the sake in the forest leaving Nyanko-sensei in the drought. Natsume was seconds away from discharging his annoyance in the cat’s head when Tanuma appeared around the corner of the school’s backyard where they had hidden away. After exchanging greetings Natsume noticed the box Tanuma was holding. Before he could ask about it his friend showed them its content.

"Natsume, do you want some cake? You too sensei"

Nyanko-sensei vibrated at the mention of the sweet treat squirming out of Natsume’s hold "Cake, cake!! Natsume let me go! I have to eat the cake!!" 

"Sensei! Don't be rude!” Natsume took grateful the offered piece of cake “Ah sorry Tanuma it looks delicious. Thanks" 

"It's nothing” he laughed while watching the cat youkai engulfing his share “I guess it's reassuring that Sensei finds enjoyable certain kind of food" 

"Oh? Is this a special cake?" Natsume asked curious.

"Yes, my father and I made it yesterday and I thought it turned really well so I decided to share some of it"

"Natsume you should learn something from Tanuma” Nyanko-sensei said while he held the paper plate licking the remnants of icing stuck to it “He knows how to appreciate my refined taste and is capable of preparing acceptable food for his offerings" 

"Nyanko-sensei keep quiet" Natsume deadpanned, but Tanuma let out an airy laugh. 

"I'm glad you liked the cake... Ponta" 

"It's Nyanko-sensei you fool!" Tanuma's only answer was to smile and to scratch sensei's chin making him purr in contentment. 

While not completely at ease with his friend and Nyanko sensei exchange, Natsume took a forkful of cake. His eyes widened instantly "Well, I have to agree with sensei this time. This is actually really good cake" a faint blush colored Tanuma's pale cheeks and Natsume thought it suited him nicely. 

"Thank you... I’m glad you liked it. Ah, I have to bring some to Taki and the others. I'll see you around. You too Sensei" 

"Sure! Are we still up to study at your house this afternoon?" 

Tanuma hesitated for a second and then smiled kindly "Of course. Let's walk together after school" then waving, he left. 

At the end of the school day Nishimura, Kitamoto, Tanuma and Natsume were walking and chatting animatedly about trivial subjects and although Tanuma was usually quiet during their groupal commute, today he was rather talkative. When Kitamoto pointed it out Nishimura expressed that it really suited Tanuma being so confident. He looked like an earnest, put together adult. 

"It's difficult to trust your judgement on earnestness" Kitamoto said deadpanning and Nishimura couldn’t hide the betrayal in his face. Natsume laughed at his friend’s antics and Tanuma explained with a radiant smile that he just felt like enjoying his youth and being more grateful for his life. Because of the odd, condescending look Nishimura and Kitamoto exchanged, Natsume knew that wasn't quite a socially accepted answer, but it didn't matter because he knew they sincerely appreciated their friendship with both Tanuma and Natsume even with all their quirks. 

For him Tanuma's answer had a nostalgic note. There was a certain sadness in his words despite the hopeful message behind them but he didn't want to dwell on that sadness as his friend was clearly trying his best to do the opposite, and seen the calming atmosphere of his friends' banter, he could relate with Tanuma’s resolution. They continued their chatting until they reached their destination, the Yatsuhara temple and the Tanuma household. 

Upon entering his home Tanuma's confidence seemed to waver and his call of 'I'm home' was a lot weaker than any other time Natsume’s been over. Nishimura's grip on his arm, where he was using him as support to take his shoes off, tightened and his eyes met Natsume's with a concerned shadow in them. Maybe their two friends had noticed Tanuma's nostalgic tone before too. However, Kitamoto intervined, being sensible enough to change the mood "Is your father home? I would like to thank him for the cake too. That thing was incredible!"

The compliment seemed to do the trick as everyone's faces lit up at the thought of the cake "Oh! Yes, he promised he'd be here earlier than normal, so I guess you guys can say hello to him. I think there's still some leftover cake" Nishimura made a whooping sound and the awkwardness vanished instantly. 

They headed to the kitchen and to Natsume's dismay they found Tanuma's dad crouching, serving a plate of cake to Nyanko sensei and really, Natsume wanted to die of embarrasement "Nyanko-sensei!! What are you doing? I'm so sorry if he was a bother!! This cat has no manners!! I'm so sorry Tanuma-san!!" 

"Oh, Natsume-kun don't worry about it. He sometimes comes by to share a meal" Tanuma-san looked down fondly at the cat-shaped youkai and Natsume could heard behind his back Kitamoto and Nishimura not so subtle snickers while he felt his cheeks burn in embarrassment. He made a mental note to have a word with Nyanko-sensei about his behaviour in other people’s houses as soon as they were alone, but then he registered that Tanuma-san was still talking "I'm glad the three of you could come today. I know you have to study but please have a sit and share some snacks with Kitty-sensei and I." 

Nishimura and Kitamoto enthusiastically accepted the invitation complimenting the cake and the Tanumas' culinary abilities. Soon the five of them were sitting around the table. A plate of snacks in the middle and each had a piece of cake and a glass of barley tea. "It's almost like a birthday party" Nishimura said, and Natsume noticed the air suddenly thickening with tension. It lasted barely a second and then all of them were laughing and the blush in Tanuma's cheeks was so very nice that he wondered if he was just imagining things, but Nyanko sensei had stopped eating and his ears were flicking around in alert, and Natsume knew he usually did that when something had caught his attention. The cat resumed his feast though and Natsume decided it was better to let it slide for now. 

Later the four students were huddled in the living room trying to make sense of an insanely hard mathematics homework. Natsume felt his head about to explode and just peering at his friends he knew they were in no better shape than him. 

"I'm going to the bathroom" he announced. Maybe a splash of cold water would help to clear his head.  
Natsume had been in this house enough times to know his way around, although there are places where he hasn't actually been in, mostly closets and storage rooms, so it absolutely infuriated him when he spotted Nyanko-sensei coming out of a door he's pretty sure is always closed and he'd assumed it was a storage room for the temple. Natsume has to discipline Sensei, and piling up on his inappropriate behavior from earlier he was now snooping around the house. 

"Nyanko-sensei..." he called, his anger barely contained. 

"Oh Natsume! These humans are a lot better than you. You should be taking notes about how to treat a magnificent beast like me" 

"I'm going to take the fur out of your tail! What where you doing inside that room!? Stop bothering the Tanumas!" 

"Calm down idiot. I was verifying the dates" 

"The dates?" 

"That Tanuma boy has been acting strange all day, which is not weird in itself since he is a weakling--" 

"Don't talk about Tanuma like that--!" 

"But the priest seemed off as well and so it occurred to me that today was that day" 

"What... what day?" 

"See it for yourself" the cat gestured towards the door.

“What? No! I’m not going to mess around in Tanuma’s house!” though it was true that his friend seemed out of it today.  
Sensei shrugged as best as his anatomy let him “Then stop asking me questions.”

As against as he was about snooping around someone else's house, Natsume was genuinely worried about his friend and so he pushed the door open. Inside there was a narrow dimmed lit room and at the back Natsume saw a simple altar with a pray written in the wood and a dark haired woman's picture who resembled his friend's features. At the bottom of the picture there was an inscription with the dates of birth and death of the woman. The date of death stood out the most, September 17th, exactly seventeen years ago. 

"Tanuma's mother died on this day seventeen years ago" Natsume muttered. And suddenly everything made sense. The sadness, the longing eyes and the odd words Tanuma had profered on his way from school. Natsume bowed his head offering his respects to the deceased mother and upon lifting his head he discovered a faint flicker of gold, similar to the threads on the priest shoulder, although much duller and it lasted just a second. The serious look on Nyanko-sensei told him it wasn't just his imagination. 

Natsume exited the small room and made his way back to his friends. Their mood was a lot brighter since they had managed to solve one of the hardest math problems and were now planning on call it a day. 

Tanuma and his father walked the three boys to the door and between smiles they exited the house. Just before leaving Kitamoto turned once more and said warmly "Happy birthday Tanuma" a protective arm enveloped Tanuma's shoulders and his stunned face melted into a teary eyed smiled. His father was smiling as well and his arm around his shoulder tightened when the soft answer of a 'thank you' broke mid sentence. 

"Birthday?" Nishimura muttered "Why didn't he tell us?" But Kitamoto was already ushering him out of the property. Natsume chanced one last glance to the Tanumas before Nyanko-sensei jumped on his back to accomodate himself on his shoulder. The lovely blush was adorning his friend's face once again along with a soft, small smile. Nishimura's complain of studying instead of doing something more birthday-worthy made him turn back to his friends.


End file.
